Hi Tweets,

I noted from the Iona Is. sighting book that Ken and Kris Klimko found
50-some odd Western Sandpipers (WESA) and 5 Lesser Yellowlegs (LEYE) on the
Iona Is. Settling Ponds earlier today, for the first significant southbound
return of these species.

By this evening (on a humungous high tide), the Settling Ponds had:

Western Sandpiper 209 90% Def Alt, 10% Ptl Alt
Semipalmated Sandpiper 3 Def Alt
Least Sandpiper 1 Def Alt
Lesser Yellowlegs 5 Def Alt

The number of WESA is a rush; two days ago there were 6, up from the 2 or 3
that have been loafing there. No slow build-up this year.

Average Southbound Arrival Dates for Vancouver BC:

Avg. 1997
Lesser Yellowlegs 6/20 +1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 6/25 -4
Western Sandpiper 6/25 -4
Least Sandpiper* 6/29** -8
*suspect this little guy was a 'tween-migration' loafer.
**suspect actual average southbound arrival date is a bit earlier; first
reports of this unobtrusive species from Week 1 & 2 of July may be result of
overlooking arrival birds in Week 3 or 4 June.

Also, juv Yellow-headed Blackbird begging calls from at least three
locations in the islands of the Outer Pond to the immediate W of the
settling ponds. And literally came within *inches* of wiping out a brood of
9 tiny Northern Shoveler chicks that Mom was just about to lead from the
settling ponds across the road leading Iona Island Park and the base of the
S Jetty. As they huddled in the newly-mown roadside grass, and Mom did her
'hey-look-*both*-wings-busted-I'm-an-easy-catch' along the center line of
the road, I got off my bike to make sure to stop any traffic until they were
safely across the other side and into Iona Bay.


Cheers

M


Michael Price When I found out that seven of my years
Vancouver BC Canada was only one of theirs,
mprice at mindlink.net I started biting absolutely everything.
-Max Carlson (Ron Carlson's dog)